HIGH HOLY DAYS PART 1
HIGH HOLY DAYS PART 1
What does the Bible say about the High Holy Days or what some call the Fall Feasts?
What is the difference between traditions and God's commandments?
Should Christians celebrate any of the fall feasts if so why?
To answer some of these questions, we must first understand whose feast are they and for what the general purpose of all the Feasts. The scripture eludes to some of the reasons that God commanded the Israelites to celebrate these feasts. The first reason is in Exodus.
Exodus 12:14 Tree of Life Version (TLV) 14 “This day is to be a memorial for you. You are to keep it as a feast to ADONAI. Throughout your generations you are to keep it as an eternal Ordinance
These Feasts are for a Memorial which means to remember. When we look at the feast that God appoints, they mostly remind us of who God is and what He has done for us. The verse above also state that these feasts are to Adonai. These feasts are God feasts they are not labeled Jewish feasts. Yes, they were given to Israel to celebrate God.
If you notice the word “eternal”.
eternal
[??t?rn(?)l]
ADJECTIVE
- lasting or existing forever; without end or beginning.
"the secret of eternal youth" ·
synonyms:
everlasting · never-ending · endless · without end · perpetual · undying · immortal · deathless · indestructible · imperishable · immutable · abiding · permanent · enduring ·
- (of truths, values, or questions) valid for all time; essentially unchanging.
"eternal truths of art and life"
Israel is to celebrate the High Holy Days Forever eternally. Based on this word alone we can see that Israel as a nation is never done away with and that Adonai Feasts are eternal never-ending. When Yeshua came did these feasts stop? No! because we see Messiah Participating in these feasts. Will these feasts stop when Yeshua returns? No! They will continue especially when He returns.
In Zechariah 14 is a description of when the Messiah returns, and God Will be king over All the earth.
Zechariah 14:9-11 (NASB77)
9 And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.
10 All the land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin's Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's wine presses.
11 And people will live in it, and there will be no more curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security.
Let us look at Zechariah 14:16 we see here that the nations will go and celebrate the feast of booths or Sukkot every Year after Messiah Yeshua Returns
Zechariah 14:16 (NASB77)
16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths.
In Ephesians, Paul talks about Gentiles when they believe in Jesus (Yeshua) becoming a joint heir with Israel becoming part to the commonwealth of Israel. No longer being separated but becoming one in Messiah Yeshua.
Numbers 15:15-16 (KJV) 15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance forever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD. 16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.
Ephesians 2:12-14 Tree of Life Version (TLV) 12 At that time you were separate from Messiah, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Messiah Yeshua, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah. 14 For He is our shalom, the One who made the two into one and broke down the middle wall of separation. Within His flesh He made powerless the hostility—
Ephesians 2:16-19 Tree of Life Version (TLV) 16 and to reconcile both to God in one body through the cross—by which He put the hostility to death. 17 And He came and proclaimed shalom to you who were far away and shalom to those who were near[a]— 18 for through Him we both have access to the Father by the same Ruach. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.
I have found celebrating the feasts of God such a blessing and intimate time with my Savior Messiah Yeshua. So Jewish or non-Jewish believers in Messiah Yeshua/Jesus get to continue celebrating the Lords Feasts together in unity.
The Fall Feasts or High Holy days have three specific names, and only one of them is a feast, Sukkot. We are commanded by God to celebrate each one.
? Yom Teruah- starts at sundown on Friday, September 18th and ends On September 19, 2020
? Yom Kippur- start the evening (sundown) Sunday, September 20, 2020, and ends Monday, September 21st, 2020 at sundown
? Sukkot- Starts at sundown Friday, October 2nd and ends sundown Friday, October 9th, 2020
The days on the Hebrew calendar are from evening to evening.
The theme repentance consistent throughout the High Holy Days is which starts 30 days before Yom Teruah where we are encouraged by tradition to search our hearts for sins of the past year. If we have sinned against anyone? We are encouraged to go and make an effort to apologize.
A shofar is blown every weekday as a call to return to God in Israel. The point is to get your heart ready for the day of atonement. The ten days between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur are especially meaningful and are called “10 Days of Awe” Where the prayers for forgiveness become greater in hopes that on Yom Kippur that their names written in the book of Life. For a believer, we have already written in the Lambs Book of Life.
As a believer, we need to be doing this daily and always searching our hearts because we have Yeshua his blood was shed to atone for our sins and we no longer need to wait once a year to make a sacrifice for our sins. He Sacrificed once and for all making atonement, and now we no longer need a yearly sacrifice.
During these forty days, it is good for believers in Messiah to do an annual in-depth search of our hearts.
Sin separates us from God, so this prepares us for the feast of Tabernacles when Yeshua returns and Tabernacles with us.
Click Prayer of Repentance to see prayers to pray https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/6577/jewish/Text-of-Al-Chet.htm
Because we are believers and have been grafted into the commonwealth of Israel and we are no longer strangers or foreigners we have been adopted and are part of the family of God.
We Get to celebrate and participate in all the feast of God!
I have heard many Christians say that they don’t have to do the feast because we have been saved by grace and because Messiah has come, we are not required to celebrate the feasts of God. No where in scripture does it say there are two laws one for the saved and one for the Jews. It is quite the opposite
Numbers 15:15-16 (KJV) 15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance forever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD. 16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.
Exodus 12:48 (NKJV)
48 And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it.
Exodus 12:49 (NKJV)
49 One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you."
Leviticus 24:22 (NKJV)
22 You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the LORD your God.' "
Numbers 15:15-16 (NASB77)
15 'As for the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the alien who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the alien be before the LORD.
16 'There is to be one law and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you.'"
Numbers 15:29 (NASB77)
29 'You shall have one law for him who does anything unintentionally, for him who is native among the sons of Israel and for the alien who sojourns among them.
When we look at scripture, we must consider all of scripture including the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) The old shows us the character and the will of God in many areas. We cannot just take one or two scriptures from the New Covenant out of context and make doctrine. The New Covenant did not do away with the previous covenants each covenant built upon the previous covenants.
Matthew 5:17-20 (NASB77)
17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.
18 "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.
19 "Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
This year start celebrating the feast with your fellow brothers and sisters in Messiah. In part 2 I will go more into depth of the Fall feast or High Holy Days. These feasts are not hard or labor-intensive but will bring you closer to Messiah and give you greater understanding of God and His will for you and those you love.
If you are a pastor and want to lead your congregation to start celebrating the feasts of the Lord. I can help you with that journey. Just contact me.
Michelle Enterline